Use Me Lord, But Not in That Way!

Ever thought that way? I have and did recently in Peru on the mission trip. We were speaking at a Pastor's Conference. They were seeking some of our wisdom as North American Pastors. Sounds cool, huh? Maybe I will speak of Christ's second return or on Baptism. Maybe I will speak on how to do outreach. Use Me Lord! So what do I end up talking about? How a Pastor carries on ministry in the middle of a divorce. I was mad. My fellow missionaries looked at me when the question was raised. Of the 5 pastors on this trip I was the only one who had gone through a divorce. They wanted me to speak from the heart and tell my story. I didn't want to because I didn't want to be divorced at that moment. I'm remarried and can't I just forget about the past. But God wanted me to talk. He wanted me to help the young pastor who came up to me afterwards seeking more "wisdom" from my experience. He wanted to know if and how he would make it through his wife leaving him.

Maybe you are in a place in life where you don't want to be. I mean, who signs up to be an expert on the tough subjects of divorce or illness or death. But if we truly want God to use us then we have to be willing to share our story in order to help another person make it. Joseph shared the ugly details of his brothers rejection with them only to remind them that God had a plan in all of it.

If my pain can help someone else get closer to Jesus isn't it worth it? Someone once said that if we learn from our pain then it is not wasted.

I learned another definition of grace on this trip. Grace is God using someone even when they don't want to be used in that way. I could have talked about Baptism that day but God had other plans. (I'd rather He be in control, how about you?) God softened my heart that day.

May God use you, me, Project 52 in the way that He wants not in the way we want.

In Christ,
Pastor John